Ten Memorable Celebrity Meltdowns

Fame doesn’t always come with happiness… or sanity. Just look at Amanda Bynes for example. The former Nickelodeon star is currently in a Ventura psychiatric facility where she’s undergoing a mental evaluation. The troubled starlet will stay at the facility for 14 days where she is being treated for what appears to be schizophrenia. The involuntary hospitalization comes after she set a driveway on fire in late July, one of many displays of her erratic behaviour.

But Amanda isn’t the only star to completely lose it. Over the years, many celebs have fallen off the rails. Some have come back while others struggle to get their lives back in check. We looked back to see who were the craziest of the cray. Here are ten memorable celebrity meltdowns:

Mel Gibson

Back in 2006, Mel had a run in with the police where he was arrested for a DUI. Instead of accepting his fate, he went on a drunken rampage calling the officer by derogatory slurs and made anti-semitic remarks. That was just the beginning…

People were shocked when private audio messages to now ex Oksana Grigorieva were released in 2010 during their bitter split. The messages revealed Gibson calling her a “mentally deprived idiot.” And that was one of the “nicer” things he said. The real kicker was when he threatened to kill her and use her remains as manure.

Anne Heche

We all get a tad emotionally unstable after a tough break up, but Anne took it to a completely different level. Back in 2000, just days after her public split with Ellen Degeneres, the actress knocked on the door of a rural California residence. She told the residents her car had broken down and asked if she could take a shower. Once the police showed up, she claimed to be God and told them she wanted to take them to heaven in her spaceship. After being hospitalized for the incident, it was reported her strange actions stemmed from a troubled childhood.

Michael Richards

In 2006, Michael went on a racist tangent on two hecklers during one of his comedy sets. The former Seinfeld star repeatedly used the N-word in his anger fueled rant (not cool Kramer, not cool). Of course, someone recorded the entire thing, and the video went viral. He later appeared on The Late Night Show with David Letterman where he apologized for his actions.

In 2012, Michael appeared on Jerry Seinfeld’s online show, Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee where he said, “I busted up after that event… It broke me down. It was a selfish response. I took it too personally. I should have just said, ‘Yeah, you’re absolutely right. I’m not funny.’”

Naomi Campbell

She may be one of the world’s most beautiful models, but dang is she vicious with a phone. In 2000 she reportedly threw her phone at one of her assistants. A similar incident happened again two years later. In 2006 she used a phone to beat her maid in the head and a couple months after that she reportedly slapped her driver across the face. Why anyone would want to work for her is beyond me.

Robert Downey Jr.

Before he became the witty and badass Tony Stark of Iron Man, people forget Robert’s battle with drugs and alcohol in the 90s. In April 1996, he was caught speeding and was later arrested for possession of heroin, cocaine and possession of a unloaded handgun. Another time, he was caught inside his neighbor’s home, sleeping in a child’s bed. This incident and many others landed him in jail in 1999 where he served one year behind bars.

Margot Kidder

Best known as the sweet Lois Lane of 70s and 80s show Superman, in 1996 she suffered a huge meltdown stemming from her bipolar disease. She reportedly spent four days on the streets of L.A sharing a cardboard box with a guy named Charlie. She was found in a stranger’s backyard where she was missing her front teeth and experiencing episodes of paranoia.

Today Margot has taken control of her life and is now an advocate for drug free treatments for mental illness with treatments mainly consisting of vitamin supplements.

Charlie Sheen

I wouldn’t call having a meltdown #winning. But in the case of Charlie Sheen, no celebrity has ever embraced and flaunted their meltdown quite like him.

It started with his divorce with Denise Richards where she claimed he physically and emotionally abused her. In 2010, Charlie was found trashed in a Plaza Hotel room where he was allegedly found naked with a prostitute. He went into rehab shortly after. In 2011 he was hospitalized after allegedly partying too hard with some porn stars. Soon after came the whirlwind of the term #winning, #biwinning, and his obsession with tiger blood and non-stop talk about his “goddesses.” To take it even further, he took his crazy on tour, where people actually paid to hear him talk about his madness.

Britney Spears

No one can forget the time Britney completely lost her shizz and shaved her head back in 2007. Or the time she attacked the paparazzi with an umbrella. At the time Spears was going through a bitter divorce and custody battle with washout Kevin Federline. To make matters worse, rumors spread from her body guards that she was smoking meth. Even as Britney tried to clean up her act, no one can forget that horrid VMA performance that same year. Missing clip on nails, nasty weave and poorly prepared choreography. It looked as if the Princess of Pop had fallen from her reign.

Luckily for us, Britney is back and continues to drop hit after hit, after hit. Not to mention she looks better than ever.

Michael Jackson

Some meltdowns are just tragic. No one can never deny that Michael Jackson is the King of Pop, but his gradual fall from stardom was one of the most painful things to watch.

Who can forget the numerous child molestation charges which reportedly took place on that creepy Neverland Ranch. Or his obsession with plastic surgery or rumoured drug addiction. The big one was when he dangled his child from a hotel balcony Lion King style back in 2002. Michael’s crazy antics earned him the title “Wacko Jacko.”

Just when things started to look up for the star with his much anticipated comeback tour, in June 2009 Michael died of a lethal drug dose of propofol.

Lindsay Lohan

It’s unfortunate to see this Mean Girls star’s career go down the drain.

It started with small things like unprofessional behaviour on the set of Georgia Rules in 2007. Later that year she got arrested for a DUI which landed her 45 days in rehab and a very fashionable alcohol monitoring bracelet. A short time later, she got arrested for another DUI and possession of cocaine which landed her in rehab again. In the years to follow, Lindsay has made headlines for her failed court appearances and failure to complete rehab for substance abuse. But that isn’t Lindsay’s only problem.

She also likes a good five finger discount. In September 2010 Lindsay was accused of stealing a $2,500 necklace at a boutique in California. She told the judge that she was told she could “borrow” the jewelry. She was sentenced to 120 days house arrest, only serving 35.

The good news is, Lindsay has just completed a three month term in rehab and is set to host the late night show “Chelsea Lately” on Monday. Let’s hope she’s on the path to recovery… for good.

Tanya Cruz (and no she’s not related to Penelope Cruz, although she wishes she was) is a Toronto-based writer. She originally got into the industry for her passion for television, but has now found a new love for online. She’ll write about just about anything, but usually finds herself immersed in the world of pop culture. Give her a shout out @tv_cruz.